Key case



June 23, 1942. w, N, p E 2,287,521

KEY CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1941 Inflrzzfor': William Mf/andlej,

Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY CASE William N. Handley, Richmond, Mo.

Application February 10, 1941, Serial No. 378,183

3 Claims.

This invention relates tokey cases; and has special reference to key cases having a pair of side walls connected together along one edge by a hinge construction, spacer elements for holding the side walls spaced in approximately parallel relationship and adapted to support keys for swinging movements into and out of the case, and actuators for moving selected keys to positions in which they extend out of the case where they may be conveniently engaged and moved to adjustments for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key case having its side walls connected by spacer elements functioning as pivots to support keys, resilient means on the spacer elements for holding the side walls in spaced relationship and imparting pressure against the keys whereby the keys will be held yieldingly in the case, and a device for selectively extending keys from the case for use.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a key case constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a View with parts in section showing the inside of the key case and a number of keys pivotally mounted therein.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View on the irregular line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the device for holding the side walls of the key case properly in spaced relationship. a

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View showing the inside of a portion of the key case that is shown in Fig. 5.

The enclosure for my improved key case is preferably made of leather, plastic material or the like, and includes two side walls I and 2 of approximately equal area integrally connected together along one edge or end by a flexible hinge portion 3. The corners of the side walls at the hinge portion are preferably cut away or removed, as shown at 4, to afford free turning movement for the keys pivoted adjacent to the hinge 3, so that said keys may be properly extended from the case for convenient use.

The walls I and 2 are turned about the hinge 3 so that they are approximately parallel, as shown in Fig. 3. These walls are connected together and held in approximately spaced relaother.

tionship by detachable fasteners which function as spacers for said walls and also function as pivots for the keys contained within the case.

Preferably, each spacer comprises an internally threaded tube 5 having a head 6 on one end and a screw 1 having a head 8. The tube 5 is extended through complementary holes in the walls I and 2 and constitutes an abutment for the head 8 of the screw 1 when said screw 7 is inserted within the tube (Fig. 3). The heads 6 and 8 of these fastener pivots prevent the walls I and 2 from opening or spreading apart. As shown, there are four of these pivot fasteners in the key case, and it is obvious that the number of said pivot fasteners may be varied in accordance with the requirements or need in the individual key cases.

In the specific form of key case shown in Figs. 1 to 4, keys are p'ivotedon three of the pivot fasteners and the fourth pivot fastener does not support keys. However, this arrangement may be modified and keys may be pivoted on each fastener element, aswill presently appear. In this instance, a spacer 9 is removably mounted on the tube 5 between the walls'l and 2 to hold said walls spaced apart and seated against the heads 6 and 8. This spacer 9is shown as a unitary element, although it may be composed of a number of separate parts if desired.

' A number of keys l0 are pivoted on each of the remaining spacer pivots. Where two or more keys are mounted on the same spacer pivot, they are preferably separated by a spring spacer II which tends to actuate the keys away from each Spring spacer elements [2 are also preferably mounted between each key and the adjacent side wall of the key case. The resiliency of these spring spacer elements II and I2 is sufficient to hold the keys within the case and prevent accidental turning of the keys to positions in which they extend from the case.

In the arrangement shown, the wall I is formed with a transverse slot l3 intermediate of its free and hinged ends and with a longitudinal slot l4 between the slot [3 and the free end of the wall I. An actuator is mounted in each of the slots [3 and M for movement along said slots to extend selected keys ID from the case or topermit said keys to be retained within the case. Each actuator comprises a head [5 located between the walls I and 2, a stem l6 extending through the slot l3 or the slot l4, and a finger button I! attached to the outer end of the stem l6. These actuators are freely movable. The actuator that is mounted in the slot l3 may be moved in either direction from an intermediate position to extend any selected keys l pivoted adjacent to the hinge device 3 from the case. And the actuator that is mounted in the slot l4 may be moved outwardly along said slot to extend from the case the keys that are mounted on the pivot spacer near the end of the key case. The head 15 at the slot 13 is located between the walls 1 and 2 and holds the intermediate portions of said walls spread apart and substantially prevents them from being pressed together against the keys. Similarly, the head l5 at the slot 14 cooperates with the spacers near the free ends of the walls I and 2.

The key case shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is extended so as to accommodate keys [0 longer than the keys In. The keys W are of a familiar type and the keys Ill are also of a familiar type substantially longer than the keys 10, so that more space is required for the keys l0. In this instance, keys H] or Ill may be pivoted upon each of the spacer elements. In this form of the key case, the slot I4 is omitted and a slot l8 formed in the wall l extends transversely approximately parallel with the slot I3 and supports a similar actuator. The remaining features of the modified type of key case are the same as those already described, and like reference numerals are applied thereto.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that this invention attains all of its intended objects and purposes very efficiently and economically. The combined spacer and pivot elements for the keys are of standard construction, as are the resilient spacers H and I2. prising the walls I and 2 and the hinge connection 3 may be composed of leather or plastic substance or other material, as desired. I do not restrict myself to the use of any particular material for making the key case, and the arrangement in the completed assembly thereof may be varied otherwise than as specifically shown and described without departure from the invention.

I claim:

1. A key case comprising two side walls having integral hinge connection along one edge for swinging movements from and to approximately parallel positions and one of which walls has a transverse slot between said hinge connection and the opposite edge of the case, two laterally spaced combined iasteners and spacers connecting said walls between said slot and said hinge connection constituting pivots for keys and holding said walls from spreading apart, an additional fastener connecting said walls beyond said slot from said hinge connection and holding said walls in spaced relationship and also from spread- The key case proper coming apart, and an actuator mounted for sliding movements in and along said slot and holding the intermediate portions of said walls spread apart and arranged to engage keys pivoted on either one of said combined fasteners and. spacers and extending across said slot and to move said engaged keys to positions in which they extend laterally beyond said case while the keys pivoted on the other fastener and spacer remain unmoved.

2. A key case comprising two walls having integral hinge connection along one edge for swinging movements from and to approximately parallel positions and one of which walls has a transverse slot between said hinge connection and the opposite end of the case, two laterally spaced pivots for keys connecting said walls between said slot and said hinge connection and holding said walls from spreading apart, a fastener and spacer connecting said walls beyond said slot from said hinge connection and holding said walls in spaced relationship and also from spreading apart, a combined fastener and spacer connecting said walls laterally from said fastener and spacer and cooperating therewith to hold said walls from spreading apart, and an actuator mounted for sliding movements in and along said slot and holding the intermediate portions of said walls spread apart and being movable to engage keys pivoted on either one of said pivots and. extending across said slot to move said engaged keys to positions extending laterally beyond said case while the keys mounted on the other pivot remain unmoved.

3. A key case comprising two side walls having integral hinge connection along one edge for swinging movements from and to approximately parallel positions and one of which has two slots between said hinge connection and the opposite edge of the case, two laterally spaced pivots for keys connecting said walls between said slots and said hinge connection and holding said walls from spreading apart, an additional pivot for keys connecting said walls adjacent the ends thereof opposite from said hinge connection and holding said walls in spaced relationship and also from spreading apart, an actuator mounted in one of said slots for holding the intermediate portions of said walls spread apart and being movable to engage keys pivoted on either one of said first named pivots to extend said keys laterally beyond said case while the keys pivoted on the other one of said first named pivots remain unmoved, and an element mounted in the other one of said slots cooperating with said last named pivot to hold said walls spread apart.

WILLIAM N. HANDLEY. 

